Dobitsu
by FushichouKakusan
Summary: A secret long remembered, a past not yet forgotten. Kakusan Fushichou has them both, and she has yet to find someone who doesn't just use her for her Code Savvyness, but When Tora and her stumble upon a secret organization during a routine hack job... Will new understandings come to par, and secrets revealed? Tora and Fushichou are completely my property!
1. Chapter 1

Hazel eyes stared at the girl in the cell next to him. She was so calm and serene it was almost scary. Her shoulders rising and falling with every soft breath she took. "Hey." Eyes peeled open as she leaned forward and drew on the ground "Hey."

"What?"

"I don't think I know who you are." His breath hitched as she stood up and walked towards him "I've been going to your school my whole life. You've never heard of me?" A shiver ran down his back as she leaned leisurely against the bars "You're that girl that is always on her computer aren't you?"

"I am."

"Well..." He gulped audibly as he took in her low rise jeans, studded belt, and white shirt that hugged her chest tightly. He allowed his eyes to follow the tail of the shirt that dusted her calves "C-can I know your n-name?"

"If you didn't bother to know me then... Why know me now?" She pushed away from the bars and walked back to the wall, as he pondered her words *If you didn't bother to know me then... Why know me now?* He shut his eyes. Thinking back to when they had first arrived in this jail cell... Death hanging over their heads like a veil, the promise of eternal pain standing in plain sight.

**82 hours earlier**

The walls were vibrating as the house's owner danced around carelessly.

"TORA!" The loud screams barely filtered around the speakers "TORA!" Movement ceased behind the door, and many locks were undone

"Yes? Oh... Murasaki. What are you doing here?" The rooms occupant rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"Your music is too loud Tora. " A sheepish smile curved the black paint on his cheeks as he ran his hand through his orange hair

"I'm sorry Murasaki."

"You better be." She turned away her hips swaying from side to side, but all movement stopped as they heard a triumphant yell come from three doors down.

"Fushichou..." Murasaki sighed as she knocked on the door "Fushichou." Unlike with Tora the girl answered immediately

"Yes Murasaki?"

"What are you doing?" A black eyebrow was raised as Fushichou smiled sheepishly

"P-playing a... A computer game. I finally beat the best player on there." She blushed as she noticed Tora was listening, his eyes wide. Murasaki smiled and poked Fushichou in the forehead.

"Calm down Cousin. I'll be back after my rounds." Murasaki chuckled as she anticipated what was to come.

"Murasaki-sama you're the best RA!" Fushichou yelled as she almost pushed Murasaki over the railings and down the steps with the force of her hug , then racing back into the room and closing the door.

Tora stood dumbfounded as the purple haired girl turned and continued her rounds, a knowing smile on her face.

"Wait!" Tora's voice was heard causing Murasaki to turn to face him "You're her cousin?"

"Yes Tora."

"But her clan is dead!" He yelled as he gripped his hair, his eyes widening even more as Murasaki crossed her arms.

"Yes her clan is dead," Murasaki sighed as she shook her head, " I'm a relative from a different clan."

"Wh-Who is she?!" Murasaki's eyes widened slightly and she turned her back to him

"If you don't know by now... Then you don't care to know. But she know's a lot about you. Like your little business you do." Another shout came from behind the door beside them followed by a triumphant laugh. The childish behavior caused Murasaki to smile and shake her head "She'll be up all night on that game. She gets it from her mother... And her older brother." She muttered to herself as she turned around to finish her rounds. This time Tora didn't object to her leaving.

Fushichou sat in her desk, her computer poised directly in front of her face as usual, but the monitor was off. Nothing was playing across the screen like normal, she wasn't typing, she wasn't playing, she just sat there her eyes downcast as the teacher passed her. He gave her a wary look then turned toward the problem at hand. In the back of the room Tora was fast asleep, snoring slightly, and completely impervious to all the eyes who were staring at him.

"Sensei." A voice stopped the teacher "Sensei. Let me try something... Please?"

"Fine." He sighed and made his way back up to his desk. All eyes widened as Fushichou set to work, pulling out her phone and hooking it up to her computer "Prepare for a rude awakening Tora." She laughed to herself and quickly deciphered his number. "What are you doing?" Tsuki asked quietly as she hit the 'call' button.

Giggles emanated through the room as Tora jumped in his seat when his phone vibrated against his leg, jolting him to his senses.

"Dang it." He whispered as he pulled his phone out of his pocket, unaware of the teachers steely gaze on him. He slouched down in his desk and answered "I'm in class what do you want?"

"You're in trouble." a high alto voice said before his phone clicked. Tora couldn't help it, he did the whole stare at the phone in shock thing, before a shiver wracked his frame.

"What? What was that all about?!"

"Igarashi! Not only did you fall asleep in my class, you answered a phone call!" The teacher yelled as he stomped up to his desk. Tora immediately began searching for a way to divert the teachers attention, almost giving up when his eyes fell on the girl in the front row. He watched her closely as her fingers typed away on the keyboards as she wound up the adapter cord that was connected to a bright blue touch screen phone sitting next to the PC in plain sight.

"That girl has her phone too!" He said as he watched her turn to face him, her blue eyes connecting with his before they disappeared behind fine eyelashes.

"She had to use it to wake you up." His eyes widened as the words echoed in his mind.

_'You're in trouble.'_

"I'm sorry Igarashi but I have to escort you to the headmasters office." Tora hung his head in defeat as he stood up and was escorted out of the room, only one word coming out of his mouth.

"Again?"

**Present**

Tora looked at the girls face once again, her eyes were closed as if she was asleep. Her breath ghosted over the bars in front of her as she coughed slightly.

"Hey." he whispered, running his hands across the bars that separated them, "Hey." his breath hitched when blue eyes showed themselves once more, "Please let me know your name. I know you've got no one else. Murasaki was killed in the shootings. Isn't she your cousin or something?"

"Yes Murasaki was my cousin." She didn't turn to look at him, She just stared straight ahead. He opened his mouth to say more but the look in her eyes stopped him. "Murasaki was my cousin. My sister. My mother. My family. She knew me not for what I looked like on the outside, but the secrets that I harbored on the inside." She placed a hand over her chest and closed her eyes once more.

Doors creaked in the distance, the silence between them broken by the small gasps and slight screams coming from the darkness. Tora jumped slightly as footprints slammed down above them.

"I want to go home. Don't you?" Tora looked at the girl across from him as she slammed her foot against the bars "Wouldn't you like to go home?"

"I don't have a home okay?! I lived with Murasaki in the RA's dorms before she was shot! I have since I was little!" She yelled "quit flaunting your life mister I-have-everything-I-want-and-everyone-knows-me-because-I'm-so-cool!" Tora backed away to the corner of his cell as two blue wings were revealed and her fingernails sharpened to talons "I'm tired of not being noticed because I'm the _'geek.'" _The word seemed to be spoken as if it were a disease "Because I always have a computer in front of me!" Her eyes were darkening, rage clouding her better judgement "I'm tired of people coming to me just because they messed up and needed someone to hack the schools mainframe or a Facebook account, Twitter, Myspace, _WHATEVER!_"

"I didn't know that you were used like that.." Tora whispered as he watched her eyes widen in surprise, the wings vanishing as fast as they had appeared, the talons shortening, sadness taking the place of the anger that was in her eyes, tears forming in her right eye while blood collected around her left.

"Are you Okay?" Tora gasped reaching over and wiped the blood, that had escaped off of her cheek. She flinched into the touch, obviously not used to the sensation of human contact._ 'She's been alone for far too long.'_ he thought as he cupped her cheek,_ 'I remember the look on her face when she first saw Murasaki's body.' _he watched as she pulled away from him and hid her face '_She was so heartbroken... Now I know why. Murasaki was her only family. Her only friend.'_ tears pricked at the back of his vision, threatening to fall down his cheeks and onto the cement floor below '_How can someone bear to live that way?'_

**75 Hours earlier**

Tora sighed as he pondered the threat that hung over his head,

"Expulsion? Expulsion for what?" He walked through the halls to his dorm room. A white board hung in plain sight, Dark black words read** Call me for anything.** He chuckled at his own words "Yeah call me for anything." The words were true though, Tora was an excellent salesman as well as an exceptional scam artist. He could get his hands on anything, including illegal merchandise, he new an expert in almost every field of the workforce. You need to do a report on the sciences of chemical engineering? He could get you a spot right alongside the best in the business. Just looking to get wasted on a Friday night? He can get you the strongest liquor possible as well as a few hotties to make for an excellent weekend starter.

"Pssst." A slight sound caught his attention, as he wiped away the black ink and drew an X across the white surface, "Pssssst Tora over here." He turned slightly to find his friend Taka,

"what are you doing here?" he asked, not looking at the dark skinned boy as he finished coloring in the black letter.

"I heard about your predicament," Tora's eyes widened as, his hand froze in fear, the black marker simultaneously hitting the soft rug of the dorm hallway, "and I might be able to help you."

"How?" Tora asked as he bent down to pick up the small marker and stashed it in his pocket.

"Easily." Taka chuckled slightly and pointed to the RA's dorm room "in that dorm is a young girl by the name of Kakusan Fushichou."

"You mean the girl who is always playing computer games?" Taka nodded his head furiously, as Tora raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"Supposedly she's a code savvy. An expert hacker." Tora's eyes widened exponentially and Taka laughed as if it was the most hysterical thing in the world, neither of them noticing the door swing open and said girl racing out.

"That's her." Taka said after he had regained his composure and actually noticed the girl as she frantically looked from side to side, as if looking for someone.

"How did you learn about her?" Tora asked as he watched her race down the halls, as if running from something, or hiding something from someone.

"Tora. She hacked my Myspace account for me. I had forgotten my password and she had retrieved it in not time flat!" Taka said as he waved his hands spasmodically, "She's done so much more too, from taking apart Murasaki's computer to fix the hard drive, to hacking the schools mainframe and saving someone's butt from being expelled!" Tora's eyes widened once more, before he looked down at the girl once more before she disappeared around another turn in the stairs,

"She's hacked the schools mainframe?" he asked offhandedly, slight interest showing in his tone.

"I'm pretty sure.." Taka was about to say more when a gunshot rang through the school and they saw the same girl from before back against the wall.

"Kakusan you're the last one." A muffled voice sounded before a sniper came into view, "We need you dead!" Tora's heart stopped as he watched her smirk at the two uniformed men in front of her, gripping the wall as if she was preparing herself for the sound of gunfire. Only one coherent thought ran through his head as he saw the gun pointed directly at her '_She's a gonner!' _He closed his eyes as he anticipated her screams of pain, when he heard none he reopened them to a sight he never thought he would see. The girl started running towards her attackers as if she was about to tackle them, immediately he raced down to help her fend them off, but froze as he watched two bright blue wings unfold from between her shoulder blades as she vaulted over her attackers.

"Get her!" One of them yelled as he spun around and aimed the gun at the now angelic girl, but to no avail as she dove to the left effectively dodging the bullet "NO!"

Fushichou let her instincts take over once more, her body moving of its own accord, jumping over bullets and dodging knives, she worked to get back to her room. Back to where she knew Murasaki was tied to a chair.

"This is all a game for this gang." She whispered as she looked over her shoulder, unaware of the two pairs of astonished eyes that were watching her, That had seen her secret. "They're just upset." Finally she saw them, Two boys were staring at her, She didn't have time to react in the way she normally would, she didn't have time to hide. "Get down!" She yelled as a kunai was pulled from behind the tail of her shirt, only when they didn't move did she realize what was going on "I said get down!"

"You're not going anywhere you demon!" the words caused her to screech to a stop

"Is that all I am for you? To you?" Her eyes darkened causing the two gang members to freeze in their tracks. "I'm much more, so much more than a demon. I'm a bird, but not just any bird." Her fingers grasped at thin air, waiting for the right moment to strike "I'm_ the_ bird, the one who's deathless." She smiled as the two uniformed officers began to shake, "Your gang shot me before, I was supposed to die with my family. If you haven't realized it.. I'm deathless. I am the Phoenix."

"You're that bird aren't you? It proves the blue wings." A devilish smile broke out on one of the officers faces, "Too bad." Fushichou's eyes widened as she anticipated the dreaded next words, "we killed the wrong girl then."

"You didn't!" She heard the two boys gasp behind her, but didn't care enough to do anything about it, "You didn't!"

"What? You mean Murasaki? She should have been nothing compared to the Kakusan." The smile never faltered as Fushichou dropped to her knees, her head held tightly in her hands.

"NO! NO!" She screamed over and over again, fighting back the tears that filled her eyes.

"Yes! Murasaki must have been your trigger." The officer noted as he watched crimson blood mix with the tears in Fushichou's right eye, a reaction that only happens when someone close to the vessel has hurt them, or has been hurt. "I'm surprised a Kakusan such as yourself would have let someone get close enough to affect you?" Fushichou was trembling all over, her hands drawing blood from her own palms

"No! Murasaki..."

"HEY! Get out of here! What are you doing?!" Another voice came from down the halls.

"We found her." Was the simple answer before the two officers offered the trembling girl a dark smile before racing off. Tora watched as she dropped to her knees, her hands cradling her own head as she sobbed silently.

"Hey." He began tentatively, only to be cut off by a whimper,

"Leave me alone." Her voice was shaky, "I know what you want." His heart twinged with pain as he watched her curl in on herself more, "I heard about it, I'll do the work." He jumped back as she stood up, never showing her face to either of them, "Drop by tomorrow." Her words were laced in hurt and loneliness, emotions she never showed before.

**Present**

Tora watched as she twirled and danced around, humming a tune he recognized as Murasaki's favorite song. Her eyes were closed once more, the blood from her left eye was dipping freely off her cheek and chin. She stopped and looked at him, causing him to jump backwards in surprise as he took in the hurt showing in those deep blue irises.

"Why do you care so much Igarashi?" She asked suddenly before turning fully toward him, "A clan as noble as yours shouldn't waste their time with the last of a dead clan." She said almost absentmindedly. As he watched her twirl and sway his eyes widened as the tips of those same blue wings showed themselves from behind her shoulder blades.

"You have wings?" He asked softly catching her attention once more. She stared at him briefly before spreading her wings slightly

"Clan trademark." She began before folding them once more, "The Kakusan live by a legend, though I believe it's a curse."

"Why hide it? I think it's cool. They make you look like an angel."

"Try telling that to the doves and swans of my clan." She hissed distastefully, "Each of us are possessed by an animal spirit. Mine is the Phoenix." She said dismissively before glaring at him, "besides angels don't have blue wings, nor do they spit fire." Once again she unfolded her wings and sighed at the disarray her feathers were in, "That and they're hard to maintain." Once again she folded them, and turned her back on the orange haired boy, "Besides you looked so scared when you saw them the first time, when you saw what I was capable of."

"Why do you hack computers? I understand you're alone but why?" Tora offered as a change of subject, as he noted the hint of disdain in her voice as she sat back against the wall.

"It's what my father trained me to do. Kill on sight, hack for information, and ask questions later." She stared up at the ceiling listening to the heavy drops of boots before it all ceased, and silence overtook the pair once again.

**35 hours earlier**

"I thought you were an expert at this. What is taking you so long?" Tora said as he lay on Murasaki's bed while she worked at her computer. A soft chuckle caught his attention before he turned to look at her, hazel eyes unexpectedly meeting curious blue ones causing the boy to jump "How long have you been staring at me? Are you even done yet?"

"I've been done for a while now. As for the question as to how long I've been staring at you," She looked up at the cieling in mock thought before reconnecting her eyes with Tora's "Umm I'd say about ten minutes."

"You're creepy." Tora said as he scrunched his nose in displeasure.

"I get that a lot." She said seemingly unaffected by his words "Okay now come over here I'll need your help for this part." Tora did as asked and took a seat right next to the girl "My name is Fushichou by the way."

"Yeah yeah just keep working." He said waving his hand to the computer, not noticing the faint emotions that were swirling in Fushichou's eyes, the most prominent one being pain.

"Okay... Your file isn't easy to find, but I think I can manage." She began scrolling through the files, acting as if she hadn't already been looking for something different.

"Wait!" Tora yelled as a peculiar file crossed the screen, Fushichou's eyes unnoticeably widening and filling with hope at the same time.

"What?" Her fingers halted on the keyboard, her heart racing.

"Go back." She silently obeyed before her hands refused to move anymore, her eyes locked on the screen, a hidden excitement rising in her stomach.

"That... That is the..." anticipation wracked her body as she opened a blank file, revealing the names of all the people killed in the shooting. As she skimmed the contents she saw that each one had a price that was payed to the school, a bounty as they called it now. She flipped through the names till she froze, her eyes filling with tears as she read the name "Akitori Murasaki." Her voice was nearly a whisper as she looked at the price. "four million, She was the highest bounty there." Immediately she wiped the tears off her cheeks, not noticing the pained look Tora was giving her as she quickly exited out of the file. "Lets just get this over with." immediately she opened Tora's file and scrolled down to all the campus violations, not bothering to read them, she hit a few keys and cleared the entire page, except for Tora's personal information, and vaccination records, "Finished. Your slate is clear." She turned to face Tora and smiled as kindly as possible.

"Murasaki's death has hurt you hasn't it?" His words surprised her, but she hid it well.

"Yeah it hurts..." She began and pointed to the door "You can go now."

"Why do you keep hiding in here?"

"Where else do I have to go?" Tora's eyes widened once more, before filling with an emotion Fushichou couldn't make out.

"I'd like to see your file. If I may."

"No." The answer was immediate as she exited the mainframe and stood up "You need to get out of here."

"I saw something... On Murasaki's file... There was a name." Fushichou stood as if to push him out of her dorm, but paused, her curiosity resurfacing.

"What name?"

"Well It was initials...** 'PD'**."

"I don't know what that means, if that's what you're thinking." Tora looked at her with sympathy in his eyes, trying to understand why she wanted him to leave so badly.

"Do you expect payment?"

"I wouldn't mind it... But you don't need to." Tora's eyes widened she was trembling as if expecting something horrible "How much?"

"No money please..."

"Then how should I pay you?" Hazel eyes met blue once more, as he took in the loneliness that swirled around in those blue irises "I think I know of a way." He walked up to her and placed his hand on her cheek, immediately pulling it away when she flinched "You're not used to human interaction." He stated more to himself than her "Would... Would this be enough?" He gathered her against his chest and hugged her close. She trembled against him for a while. Tora's eyes widened and he looked down when he felt something wet on his shirt, coming in contact with a mop of brown hair as he watched her bury her face in his chest, "Are you crying?"

"I want Murasaki back." She sobbed into his chest, not caring if he shoved her away now "It's so lonely without her." Tears pricked at the back of Tora's eyes as he listened to her, and allowed her to show the emotions she had been hiding.

_'I'll bet it is. And though I don't know who you are exactly... I know what it's like to feel alone.'_ He stroked her back gently, until she pulled away from him

"I'll accept that as payment." She hurriedly wiped her eyes and turned away from him, "Leave. Now."

Tora sat on his own bed, holding the shirt above his face "I wonder who really killed Murasaki? And why?" He looked over to his computer "I don't think it will hurt to find out what '_PD'_ stands for." Waiting patiently for his computer to load he quickly opened his search engine and typed in the two dreaded letters, unknowingly sealing his and Fushichou's fate.

Humming to himself as he left his dorm room, his eyes falling on the door he had walked out of only days before. He sighed slightly as he remembered her pain filled eyes, and her shaking hands. It all stuck in his mind.

"I wonder if she'd let me as close as she let Murasaki." He mused out loud, "Murasaki seemed to know so much about her." He opened the door to his own car absently before pausing, "It doesn't hurt to try, does it?" He asked seemingly no one.

"It takes a lot for someone to get close to a Kakusan." a voice caught his attention before his sight was blackened. He tried to scream, he tried to call for help, but his mouth was tied open and muffled with a handkerchief before he could do anything. He felt himself being lifted off the ground, his hands tied securely behind his back '_What is happening?_' He grunted in pain as he hit cold metal, cringing when heavy doors slammed closed. Immediately he blindly felt around for a weapon to use when his attackers came back. After a few seconds of searching his hand came in contact with something, something was within arms reach. He mentally cheered to himself as he quickly assessed what is was, it was soft, '_Not a very useful trait but can be used as a decoy to let me get away.' _It flinched slightly as he ran his fingers against it, '_flinching? That girl? What is she doing here?'_ He felt around for a moment and ended up finding more soft flesh, nimble fingers, _'her hand!' _he gasped as it grabbed his wrist and he felt her back being firmly pressed against his. Almost immediately he felt fingers in his tracing something against his palm '_Letters? She's spelling something out. Okay W-H-A-T... D-I-D... Y-O-U...D-O. What did you do?. Oh I get it she thinks this is my fault. Wait there's more W-H-A-T... I-S...G-O-I-N-G... O-N. What is going on?'_ After the last message was spelled out she laid her hand flat against his as if she was signalling she was finished. Almost immediately he mimicked her way of messaging '_Okay. To do this she just wrote the letters against my skin. So I need to do the same. She might need reassurance. Let me see here I... D-O-N-'-T... K-N-O-W. That ought to do it.'_ He thought to himself as he wrote against her palm, feeling it tremble against his fingers.

Fushichou was shaking, she was scared. Something was happening and she couldn't tell what. She felt the movement of the wheels under her, the slight jerks and turns that the van took on the roads. After a while the van stopped, heavy doors were swung open and she was hauled over a shoulder and carried down some steps. After a few minutes she was violently tossed down on a cement floor, forcibly stripped of her backpack, cell phone, watch, and computer. After another couple of minutes she was freed of her bonds and quickly worked to take off the gag and blindfold, in time to see them throw Tora in the opposite cell and violently strip him of his belongings as well before slashing his bonds.

"Why are we here?!" He yelled almost instantly after he got the gag out of his mouth.

"You two have stepped into shark infested waters now. That's all I can say for you." The same muffled voices from the school shootings spoke, freezing the two students where they stood.

"Why are we here?" Fushichou repeated as she glared at the uniformed figure.

"My subordinate will explain more." The shadow walked back up the stairs, leaving the two confused and angered.

"What is going on!" Tora yelled as he slammed his hand into the metal bars, immediately cringing at the pain that rocketed up his arm.

"You stepped into shark infested waters Tora." Fushichou growled, "They wouldn't have caught me... If you hadn't..." She was trembling again.

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"You tremble a lot as if you're scared, or expecting something to happen."

"It's cold here." She lied before focusing on something more apparent to the two of them, silently sniffing the stale air around them, "The smell of death is everywhere!" She sighed as she looked at Tora with a cross look on her face. "I do know where we are, the cell of the Purple dragons." Tora's eyes widened.

"So you did know what PD meant?" His tone filled with hurt as she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the wall.

"Yes I did, but it was a secret I had stumbled upon when I was little. I didn't expect you to-" She was cut off as light began to flood the room, both sets of eyes turning to the door as it opened once more.

"You first Kakusan." the same voice said as Fushichou was none to gently jerked up from her sitting position and pushed out of the room.

Fushichou was literally thrown into a dark room and forced down into a single armchair, her hands bound instantly as the shadow from before glared at her.

"What were you doing in the schools mainframe?"

"My job." A delicate eyebrow was raised and a dry laugh was heard somewhere in the darkened room,

"And what, per say, is your job?" Fushichou crossed her leg as she tussled the ends of her armbands, giving off the appearance of the aloof teenage girl she was.

"I help classmates with computer problems, fix their mistakes." She shrugged nonchalantly.

"You're an expert hacker."

"I prefer code savvy myself but don't let that stop you." Her eyes met with the shadows around her, her blood running cold in her veins, and her wings spreading of their own accord

"You're the blue Phoenix aren't you? Murasaki cleared everything up with us before her, " A dark smile spread across another shadow's face "Passing."

"What do you know about Murasaki?" Fushichou growled as she fought against her restraints, Her temper heightening as she fought to strangle the man in front of her.

"I know she was your cousin." Fushichou quirked an expectant eyebrow before slumping in her chair and sighing in defeat "What was your affinity to her?"

"She took me in after my clan was killed. She was my mother, my sister, my friend." Fushichou sighed once more before she was pulled from the seat and escorted back to her cell. Meeting no resistance she sat down on her knees, her wings folding protectively around her "Murasaki..." She whispered softly, unaware of the empathetic hazel eyes on her.

Tora was jerked from his cell and shoved up the exact same steps, into the exact same chair, his captors not bothering to fasten his hands down like he was sure they had done for Fushichou.

"What is your affiliation with the young Kakusan?" was the immediate question.

"I barely even know her. She was just doing me a favor." Another dry laugh echoed through the dark, bouncing off the walls and reverberating in his sensitive ears

"What is an Igarashi doing affiliating with a Kakusan?" The shadows asked mockingly, causing anger to flare in Tora's veins as a voice reverberated in the back of his mind '_Why do you care so much Igarashi? A clan as noble as yours shouldn't waste their time with the last of a dead clan.'_

"If I'm not fit to stand in her shadow, why did she call my clan noble?"

"The Igarashi clan is of noble status, but not to that of the Kakusan. The only clan that even rivaled that of their name was the Nanase clan, which I happen to be a part of. So What is an Igarashi doing even looking at a Kakusan, and now that she's the last with kakusan blood in her veins." Tora's blood ran cold as he caught a glimpse of the death promising smile the shadow was offering him, "She's very valuable. So what is your affiliation with her?"

"We're schoolmates."

"What were you doing in her dorm?" the question caused Tora to roll his eyes

"I was about to be expelled, and one of my friends told me about her services." he explained, a chuckle tearing it's way up his throat, "Too bad she doesn't make a profit out of it. She was in that mainframe prior to me walking in the door." There was a contemplative silence then a dry laugh

"What were you doing searching us?"

"I wanted to know what PD meant." Another contemplative silence then two hands jerked him out of the chair, leading him back down to the cells. He stumbled as he was shoved back into the concrete, his hands bracing himself as to not break his nose, the bars locking behind him. A whimper caught his attention, his eyes finding the shaking form of the girl in the cell next to him '_What has she been through?'_

His eyes roved over the expanse of darkness in front of him before landing securely on the girl in the cell next to him, once more,

"Kakusan?" Her head shot back at the name piercing him with a cold stare.

"Don't call me that!" it wasn't a request, it was an order.

"I don't have anything else to call you." Tora said in a small voice as she pinned him, the intensity in those irises not letting him move any closer. She sighed and allowed her wings to droop a little bit before folding them against her back completely,

"Why do you care about my name now? You never cared before. When I told you my name you just waved your hand at the computer and said 'Yeah yeah." Why do you expect me to repeat myself? If you didn't want to know when I was hacking your school record," She sighed as she glared at him "You don't want to know when we've got death looming over our heads."

"Easy for you to say!" Tora yelled as he finally found the courage to walk toward her, "You're deathless, being the Phoenix and all."

"That doesn't mean I don't have to live with the decisions I had to make." He froze in mid step as he watched her hide her eyes behind her bangs, "The images of my clan," she whispered softly, "the feeling I had with Murasaki, that feeling I'll never feel again." Tora's eyes widened at the empty tone she had used "A feeling I'll never feel again."

"What feeling? What was that feeling?" his curiosity heightened as she looked up to the ceiling.

"Its hard to explain," She began tentatively, "It's the same feeling I got when I looked at my mother, like she was comforting me with just her eyes. Murasaki may have only been my cousin but she helped me with the nightmares," Her eyes connected with his, "the suicide attempts, everything. It was that warm feeling inside that she didn't want me to leave, " She sighed, "That she didn't want me to die."

"You-" Tora struggled for the right words, "You want to be wanted. That feeling to be needed, to have someone close to you. When you hacked computers it gave you a sense of being needed, but it was gone all too soon. Wasn't it?"

"Murasaki never knew... I didn't hack computers till she was killed." She stood and looked at Tora "Why do you care?" Something inside Tora cracked as he noticed the pain that filled her eyes

"You... You seemed so alone when Murasaki passed." he sighed and covered his face with his hands. "When I saw you in front of your computer. You were so... So... Lonely." He blushed slightly as he noticed her eyes sparkle slightly in the dim light, as if a flame had been lit behind the dark blue "And when I saw your wings the first time... When I saw you flip and dodge the bullets, when I saw you do martial arts... I was- surprised. Though I didn't show it... Now we're here side by side and I... I want to help you." He watched her back away from him, slightly, but he didn't stop, he had to tell her what was on his mind. "But you won't even tell me your name." Tora sighed in defeat and crossed his legs underneath him in the traditional Japanese style.

"Fushichou." The word was said almost too quietly for him to hear, it ignited a fire within him and seemed to caress his ears in a welcoming touch, like she had put all the feeling she could in that one whispered word.

"What?" He looked at her as she wrapped her wings around herself.

"My name is Fushichou. Kakusan Fushichou, daughter of the clan leader, and blue winged phoenix of the Japanese Kakusan clan of Yajirushi." Tora's eyes widened as she curled in on herself.

"You're the lost princess of the Kakusan clan?"

"Yeah." She chuckled softly to herself as she parted her wings to show a little bit of her hair.

"Why did you go missing? I only knew about the dragon... Not the Phoenix."

"Yeah I know. No one knew about me because my mom locked me away thinking that she'd keep me safe. Though I managed to escape many times." She chuckled softly as her wings relaxed and slumped, allowing Tora to see her face. Silence fell over the two before a door was opened in the distance and a familiar smell filled the room.

"Are you two hungry?" A friendlier voice asked.

"I've gone longer without food." Fushichou said softly clutching her stomach to emphasize her point.

"If you're not hungry birdie then I'll just take Tora to the food."

"Well I guess if you're offering." Fushichou stood up and smiled kindly "Thank you." She bowed respectively then waited for the bars to be unlocked.

Tora followed behind Fushichou, idly taking in her appearance. She seemed more laid back now, Her wings were folded against her back, her hair gently brushing the backs of her calves leisurely as her hips swayed from side to side with each step. The tail of her shirt fluttering around her like a forcefield, soft tan hands pulled chocolate brown strands of hair back behind seemingly hypersensitive ears that were decorated with three different blue diamond studs. He felt his heartbeat speed up as he watched her thumbs link into the belt loops of her low rise denim jeans, running tenderly over the dulled spikes of her silver studded belt. Fushichou walked as if she were listening to music, her feet dropping to a random beat, her eyes closed and her head hung low, it unnerved Tora to think that she always had some sort of song to sing. After a while they froze, their eyes falling on a gigantic buffet table.

"Woah. Where's the party?" Fushichou whispered as her eyes widened "I mean... Just wow."

"Please. Sit down and eat." Tora instantly ran over and pulled a leg off of the turkey, but Fushichou sat down and folded her hands in her lap, her eyes downcast, "Kakusan. Are you not hungry?"

"What is going on? You didn't seem to care almost a month ago when we were first brought here. Now you're holding a huge feast for us? For all I know half this food can be poisoned." Blue eyes pierced their captor causing him to take a step back

"I assure you Kakusan that the food isn't poisoned, and we have no intention of killing you, in fact we can use you."

"Use me? In what way?" Fushichou leaned forward in her chair and placed her hands on the table, her voice holding a hidden threat that their captor seemed to have picked up on,

"Well the way I see it.. You have three choices. You can leave. You can apply for witness protection. Or you can join our ranks." Tora's eyes widened considerably and he almost choked on a bite of meat.

"What? You'll let us go?" There was a chuckle from the dark shadows causing Fushichou to smile slightly

"No. You know too much to just leave, and you're too young to apply for witness protection..."

"So you want us to join your ranks? That's the only option you've left us." For the first time their captor stepped into the light. He was paler than the moon with silver eyes and pale blue hair that looked as if it hadn't been introduced to a brush in years. He carried a katana that lay horizontally across his waist, and a pistol that sat idily on his hip bone,

"If you don't accept our offer..." He gripped the handle of the katana blade, exposing some of the sharpened steel hidden just beneath the black skiver, "I have orders to extinguish you on sight."

"Fine." Fushichou said as she reached over and grabbed a bowl of noodles, tenderly twirling a fork into the strands. Tora sat frozen in place as he watched man walk up to the table and slide a phone her way. "You'll be under the care of a handler for the first few years, in a house of our choosing. When we arrive there we will discuss accommodations." He turned to leave but paused "Oh. I'm your handler, my name is Tatsumaki. You get along with me I'll get along with you." empathy filled his eyes as he seemed to stumble for the next few words, "Fushichou you should know me well... After all..." Tora looked over at the seemingly indifferent girl across from him, her eyes were darkened in rage

"You killed my clan." The words froze him in place once more.

They were loaded into the car, sitting silently as they watched the houses pass by. Green lawns blurred together, mixing the different shades of color as Tora seemed to blankly stare at them.

"What about school?" Fushichou broke the deafening silence between the three patrons.

"You'll still be attending your normal school." Fushichou nodded then turned to look out the window "Hey Tora." Tora's attention was pulled from the window to the silver eyes in the rear view mirror "Do you have any important skills?"

"What do you mean?"

"Can you fight? handle a weapon? Anything?"

"I don't know." There was a chuckle from beside him as he saw Fushichou smile slightly,

"Useless..." Tatsumaki sighed as he turned into a driveway and locked the gates via remote. "I'm sure we can put you through weapons training. Fushichou, what about you?"

"I'm an expert code savvy, aspiring musician, accomplished artist, and I'm trained in four different kinds of martial arts." Fushichou smiled as she said the words

"Wow... Nothing less from a Kakusan." Tatsumaki whispered, excitement shining brightly in his gray eyes.

"Yeah sure." Tora sighed and exited the car, staring wide eyed at the four story house, complete with full training ground in the back "Holy..." He gasped.

"Nice." Fushichou turned to face Tatsumaki, a gleam in her eyes "Full training grounds?"

"Full training grounds complete with balance training."

"Awesome." She turned to run towards the training gates only to be stopped by a pale hand "Don't. We've got things to discuss." Pain filled Fushichou's eyes at the reprimanding tone in his voice

"Okay."


	2. Chapter 2

The house was reasonably clean, aside from a little wear and tear in some places.

"What are we gonna do about clothes and our old possessions?" Tora asked as Fushichou took a seat on the couch,

"Our agents are working on gathering only the necessary things. They should be here any minute now. In the meantime..." Tatsumaki motioned for Fushichou to follow him. Tora watched as she stood almost fluidly and sidestepped him before walking into the kitchen behind Tatsumaki.

Fushichou leaned against the counter as her handler reached into the cabinet above her,

"Granola bar?" He asked as he handed her a chocolate chip chewy bar. She took it silently waiting for what was to be said. A sigh caught her attention as he hung his head and looked at her sadly "You can hate me if you want to. I know what I've done to you."

"Why do you have to bring up my clan?" His gaze met angered blue eyes, her hand was clutching the counter and her wings spreading slightly "Why do you have to keep reminding me?"

"I want you to be able to forgive me so we don't need to suffocate Tora with the tension." He sighed and brought his hand to rub the bridge of her nose "I'm so surprised you still remember... After all you were so young... So innocent."

"Why did you let me live?" anger was now relevant in her tone "Why did you kill my little brother, my older brother, my father, my mother, my family! But you kept me alive!"

"You were so young. I couldn't stand to see your lifeless tear filled eyes stare at me for the rest of my life. I couldn't bring myself to do it." Fushichou increased her grip on the countertop, wincing slightly as she heard the marble crack "Please... Find it in your heart to forgive me for what I had put you through... From Ame, to Yuki, to Ryuu, to Kumosaru, to Murasaki. Just forgive me."

"I don't know if I can. Ever. Forgive. You." her hands released the countertop and she grimaced as a chunk of the marble hit the cold tile floor "What you had done... Is something I may never be able to forgive. You took everything from me, made me question who I was because I wasn't able to protect them... That I wasn't able to save them."

"I had no intention of doing that." Tatsumaki sighed as she sidestepped him and walked up towards the stairs "How are the bedrooms?" The abrupt change of subject caught Tatsumaki off guard "They're set up already."

"Can I personalize mine?" Fushichou eyed the stairs as she absentmindedly asked the question "I don't know... I think they're already to your liking... We'll see what you want to do."

"You know what I am."

"Yeah."

"That's what I want on my walls. A phoenix. I want to be able to paint it myself." Tatsumaki eyed her suspiciously "Why."

"Personalization is something I take pride in as well as won martial arts trips. If I don't do it myself..." She shrugged nonchalantly "I won't accept it."

"I see. I think I can allow that." Fushichou nodded slightly offering a slight smile to show itself "Thanks."

Tora followed Fushichou up the stairs to the bedrooms. A contemplative gaze was etched into her caramel tan features as she stared at the floor almost in a trance-like state "Hey." He tapped her on the shoulder causing her to jump slightly "What?"

"Are you okay?" Tora was tentative with the question, but felt he should at least try to figure out what was wrong. Fushichou just shrugged and walked ahead.

She opened the first door on the right and grimaced, the walls were a bright orange, with a red carpet, and a crimson red comforter adorn the bed. Over all the color burned her eyes and too much light was seeping through the windows "No freaking way." she sighed turning to the opposite door. As she pulled this door open she was met with deep blue walls and a violet carpet, purple curtains dimmed the light and a sky blue silk comforter shone dimly against the almost calming atmosphere the room created "So mine." As she looked around from the walls to the carpet, she noticed a mahogany desk sitting in a secluded corner. Arranged neatly on top of it was a set of art tools, martial art books, and a computer "Oh yes. So mine."

Tora stood outside the door as he watched Fushichou circle and twirl around in the blue room. He brought his hand up to his mouth to stifle a chuckle when she suddenly stopped moving, her eyes locked on a particular part of the ceiling "are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine." She whispered softly her eyes locked on that one particular spot "What's wrong?"

"I think I found the perfect place to start." Tora shrugged and stepped into the only other room available in the house "Igarashi! Kakusan! Meeting! Livingroom! Now!" Tatsumaki's voice came floating up the stairs. Within seconds Fushichou was sliding down the railings and landing in the living room "What do you need?"

"Well for one. You've got clearance on personalization." Fushichou punched the air and ran back up the steps "Wait! Where are you going?"

"I had to get the clearance first, I have the idea gotta get it done before I forget it." Tatsumaki's eyes widened at the smile that formed on her face as she jumped over Tora and raced back into her room "Fushichou! Fushichou! Kakusan! Get back down here!"

"Later! I'll be down for dinner." Tora watched as she disappeared behind the mahogany door. Hours passed and the two boys sat down and waited "So..." Tora began to break the silence "What is your connection with her?" Tatumaki raised an expectant eyebrow "With who Fushichou?"

"Yeah. You said something about killing her clan..."  
"I was a paid assassin. My job was to take out the Kakusan clan. I didn't know what to expect from them. I didn't know what to expect when I first saw her."

"What happened?" Tatsumaki opened his mouth to speak when Fushichou came running back down the steps. She was panting harshly, red paint dotted her hair, clothes, and skin as she smiled brightly "It's finished." She sighed and crossed her arms "What did you need?"

"Okay your positions are Kakusan; computer hacker, you'll be given computer jobs. Igarashi; We'll train you to handle weapons and fight, thats what the training grounds are out back for..." His eyes fell on a seemingly pouting Kakusan. Tora's heart jumped as he watched her stand up "When can I use the training grounds?"

"When you finish your work." Fushichou's eyes lightened considerably, as she did something that caused Tatsumaki's eyes to widen and Tora's breath to catch. Fushichou spun around once then bent at the waist in a respectful japanese bow "Okay Tatsumaki-sensei. I shall get to work as soon as my first assignment comes in." Fushichou smiled slightly as she climbed the steps and disappeared behind the mahogany door.

Hours passed and Tatsumaki entered the kitchen to begin cooking. Tora quickly grew bored of whatever was playing on the television, and walked back up the steps. His eyes fell on the mahogany door that sealed blue walls away from the rest of the house. Briefly wondering what had Fushichou hauled up in there for so long, he knocked three times on the door "Igarashi go away!" her voice was muffled slightly from the thick wood "What do you want?"

"Tatsumaki said that dinner will be done in ten."

"Fine. Why are you bothering me?" Tora grabbed ahold of the knob and tried to gain entrance to the room, but it was locked. "Unlock the door Fushichou!"

"Why should I?"

"What are you doing in there?" he asked genuinely curious, hoping she would unlock the door soon. "I'm painting." came the clipped reply. Tora's eyes widened as he remembered her appearance about an hour ago. He faintly registered the tumblers turning, indicating that the door was unlocked "I don't mind if you want to come see."

"What?" Hazel eyes found blue ones once again, but only for a brief moment as she turned away from him "You can come see."

Tora gaped as he looked around the room, the walls were a deep blue as it had been before, the curtains dimmed the light as it filtered through the purple fabric, the only difference to the room was a light blue trim that decorated the bottom of each wall. Tora looked around the room not noticing the ladder until he almost walked into it "Watch it. I gotta climb up that thing!"

"Oh. Sorry." He said as he sat down on the bed "So what are you doing in here?" Fushichou just looked at him as she grabbed her paint pallet and began to climb the ladder again. He watched as she trailed the paintbrush across the roof, finishing off a row of feathers on the light blue bird that circled around the lamp "You're really good at painting."

"Learned from my mother." her reply was immediate as her hands faltered in their grip on the utensils "She used to let me design the war paint designs, and some of the marriage gowns."

"You seemed pretty popular in your clan... Wonder why I never heard of you until now."

"I was supposed to stay hidden. It was only when my clan was..." She trailed off the paintbrush falling against the white apron she wore only adding to the many blotches already adorning the white cloth. Almost instantly she raised her arm back up to the painted bird and finished the last few feathers of the tail, the last six feathers curling out to make her clan symbol "There. Finished." She sighed as she climbed down from the ladder then folded it and carried it downstairs.

Tatsumaki eyed the blue stains on the apron she wore and smiled "Did a little more than expected. Didn't you?"

"Yeah... a little..." She rubbed the back of her head nervously "I kinda painted the bird on the ceiling instead of the walls... and made a light blue flame trim around the bottom of every wall..." She smiled sheepishly causing Tatsumaki to laugh "It's okay. I gave you clearance to customize." She laughed slightly then clutched her stomach as it growled.

Tora stared deeply into the fire filled eyes of the bird above him, he allowed his gaze to follow the twists and turns of the image as it's wings stretched across the white surface, it's tail twisted and flowed through the space above him, before it fanned into a spiral around the light then molding into a symbol "What does this mean?" studied the individual feathers of the bird watching as they changed from black, to dark blue, then the tip turned light blue "Why did she paint something like this? I understand the Phoenix is her... But why did she paint it this way, staring down at her with flame in it's eyes, the mostly black and only tipped with blue..."

Three days passed locked away in that house. Three days of nothing to do. Tora sat down on the couch his mind wandering back to the picture that adorned Fushichou's ceiling, but as he thought of it more, he understood why she was the way she was. Soon he found his mind lingering on her. The way her eyes lightened when she smiled, darkened when she frowned, and paled when she was sad. The way her wings folded around her almost in a protective way when she was insecure, fanned out behind her when she was angry. The way they made her look like a demon with an angelic aftertone "Jeez." He sighed "Why must she torture me so? I don't even know much about her." Fushichou chose that moment to come down from her room "What are you doing?"

"Thinking and hoping to get some sleep." the reply pulled a soft chuckle out of her mouth "Fine for me. You have practice tomorrow anyway."

"What?" his head shot up only to drop back down against the couch as he took in her appearance, Her shirt was low rise just like her jeans revealing a little cleavage and the top of the Kanji that adorned her left breast, the front of the shirt split in two revealing her bellybutton and flowed down to make the veil that fluttered across her calves "Dang." He sighed "Dang dang dang."

"What's wrong?" She asked raising a confused eyebrow his way "Why?" He asked almost absentmindedly "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why must you dress like that?" He sighed his eyes locked on the ceiling instead of her attire "This is the way a Kakusan dresses. The veil shows everlasting life, the low rise shirt shows an adventurous personality, and the tattoos mark the specific qualities of the Kakusan female." Tora's eyes widened as she explained the significance of her attire, and tattoos "So Fushi-Chan, Your tattoos are supposed to signal how you are?"

"Well.. Yeah. It's the way the Kakusan are... It's like tradition." Tora looked her up and down and finally noticed the guitar strapped to her back "Where are you going?" A confused look passed her face until she remembered her keytar "I have practice with my band."

"What's the name?" Confusion began dotting her eyes causing Tora's heart to flutter again *She looks so cute... So innocent.* The muscles in his throat tightened with emotion as he watched the light gleam from her hypnotic eyes "What's the name of what?"

"Your band. Silly. You said you had one."

"Oh... Well the name is Dobitsu... We all are... Well..." A faint blush painted her otherwise tan cheeks as her hands tightened around the veil of her shirt. Tora's heart was almost hammering in his chest by now *She looks so freaking adorable... Almost like a little kid.* His mind was racing as she searched for the right word to say "If I say cursed you'd ask questions... If I say blessed that'd be a lie... So I'd just say we're all freaks and leave it at that."

"Freaks? Why call yourself a freak?" As he scanned her he noticed something was missing "What happened to your wings?"

"They're folded up tight against my back."

"Why?" He watched as she wrapped her arms around herself and her wings began to mimic her arms movements and wrap around her almost in a protective embrace "Because people don't take kindly to me 'broadcasting' my wings all over."

"I think they're cool... And how are your bandmates freaks?" Fushichou ran back upstairs leaving a shocked Tora to sit on the couch alone.


	3. Chapter 3

**I haven't stressed it a lot, but I wouldn't mind some reviews. **

_**(1) **_Whispers in the dark -Songwriter(s):John Cooper  
**Copyright: Photon Music, Landrum Publishing, Warner-tamerlane Publishing Corp.**

_**(2) **_Comatose- Songwriter(s):John Cooper, Brian Howes  
**Copyright: Emi Blackwood Music Inc., Photon Music, High Buck Publishing, Landrum Publishing, Warner-tamerlane Publishing Corp.**

**Story start. **

Fushichou ran her hand along the plane of her wing,

"I... I just can't call this a blessing... But I know it's not a curse. Without these wings I would have died when Murasaki had... When my clan had." She whispered to herself as she began to pick at the small clumps of dirt that clung to her otherwise sparkling blue feathers.

_'I'll have to ask Tatsumaki for a new feather comb... It's embarrassing to ask though. I'm not even sure if he knows about my wings.'_ She sighed to herself,

"Watashi no tsubasa... Watashi wa tenshi janai. Watashi wa akumada.**(1)**" A knock was heard at the door, "Anata ga nyūryoku suru koto ga dekimasu!**(2)**" She said almost instantly. A chuckle was heard on the other side of the door,

"Aringato.**(3)**" A tall girl walked into the room, a bright smile was on her face "Konichiwa.**(4)**"

"Anata no namae wa nan desuka?**(5)**" Fushichou pointed to her but didn't look her in the eye, another chuckle was heard from the other side of the room,

"Watashi no namae Shojikina Kitsune desu.**(6)**" Fushichou looked at the door and at the silhouette that stood there,

"What do you want?"

"Ah so you do speak English. I thought I'd have to remain speaking Japanese."

"No I speak English."

"Good I am the one who will be bringing you your assignments. My name is..."

"Shojikina Kitsune. I got that part. What do you want with me?" Another chuckle sounded from where Kitsune stood,

"I don't want anything from you baka**(7)**. Our organization needs you to hack this flash drive. We had obtained it from another agent." Fushichou's eyes widened slightly as the flash drive was tossed to her,

"Another agent?"

"Hai**(8)**. I can't tell you his location. All I can say is this is only a test of your abilities, based on the way you were able to make into your schools mainframe so easily this should be a walk in the park for you." Kitsune looked at the wings on her back and smiled once more "This isn't something I normally show anyone... Especially since the Shojikina clan is known for their foxes." She placed a hand on her stomach tracing the kanji that was tattooed there "I can be your worst enemy Tori**(9)**, or I can be your best friend." Two fox ears formed on her head along with a swishing red fox tail "I'm the same as you, and though your are deathless Fushichou I have no problems making your life miserable." Fushichou shivered slightly as she hooked up her laptop,

"Must be hard for you..."

"Nani?**(10)**"

"It must be hard... Being a humanoid fox with the purple dragon assassins. I've heard that they're ruthless to our kind... And you're one of five others I know besides the Kakusan clan who are supposed to be possessed with the vengeful Dobistu spirits, mythical and non..." Kitsune's eyes widened as Fushichou spoke almost absentmindedly,

"There are more?"

"Hai. I'm in a band with three of them, I'm one of them... My whole clan was inhabited by animals." Her hands halted on the keys "I think I'm done." Kitsune looked at the monitor only to gasp slightly. Her screen was full of files from the flashdrive, some of them were passcode locked, others were easy access.

"How did you?" Fushichou just shrugged and went back to sitting on her bed,

"Tora's practice begin early?"

"Hai... But how were you able to crack the code so easily?" Again Fushichou just shrugged,

"Only my hands know." Kitsune smiled and patted her on the head,

"Anata wa daijōbu kodomoda.**(11)**" Fushichou smiled slightly as she ran her hands along the silk comforter,

"I wouldn't say that." She chuckled softly just enough for only her to hear it.

Kitsune collected the recently unlocked flash drive "I wish I could stay longer Fushichou-chan, but I must leave. Abayo.**(12)**"

"Abayo Kitsune-chan." Fushichou said softly as she watched the door close, leaving her alone in the darkness of the living room. As she began to explore the big house, she began to hum a familiar tune only for the words to begin to form on her tongue,

"_**(1) **_Despite the lies that you're making, your love is mine for the taking. My love is, just waiting, to turn your tears to roses." She began to twirl around the kitchen table, her body swaying to the tune in her head "Despite the lies that you're making, Your love is mine for the taking. My love is, just waiting, to turn your tears to roses. I'll be the one that's gonna hold you. I'll be the one that you run to. My love is, a burning, consuming fire!" She didn't register the door opening or the voices that echoed throughout the hallway, just the cans of stew she had set out to cook and the dough that was on her hands,

_'I hope Tatsumaki doesn't mind that I'm making dinner tonight. I know he likes to cook, but I won't sit and do nothing.'_ She thought to herself before going back to her song,

"NO! You'll never be alone! When darkness comes I'll light the night with stars, hear the whispers in the dark! No You'll never be alone. When darkness comes you'll know I'm never far hear the whispers in the dark! Whispers in the dark!" she heard the microwave go off and pressed the button to release the door "You feel so lonely and ragged, you lay there broken and naked. My love is just waiting, to clothe you in crimson roses." She sang once along to an invisible tune as she waited for the bread to bake and the stew to heat up.

Tora walked into the door behind Tatsumaki "Hurry inside I've gotta lock the door soon." he nodded and took off his shoes,

"I'm hungry..."

"I'll get dinner started soon. Don't worry Tora." The smell of stew and bread caught both of their attention,

"No! You'll never be alone! When darkness comes I'll light the night with stars, hear the whispers in the dark. No. You'll never be alone. When darkness comes you know I'm never far. Hear the whispers in the dark. Whispers in the dark. Whispers in the dark!" Tora looked into the kitchen to see Fushichou twirl one last time, then blow a kiss into the air,

_'Just like Aka does from Dobitsu. Maybe she is the lead singer from that band... But they're my favorite band!'_ Her voice caught his attention once again,

"The stew isn't done yet..." She glanced up at the clock and sighed "And Tatsumaki and Tora aren't due home for another hour. I guess I can sing another song... I don't know. This place might be bugged." She shivered slightly then began to sway her hips.

"_**(2) **_I hate feeling like this. I'm so tired of trying to fight this. I'm asleep and all I dream of is waking to you. Tell me you will listen. Your touch is what I'm missing. And the more I hide I realize. I'm slowly losing you." spun once more, the tail of her shirt fanning out behind her "Comatose. I'll never wake up without an overdose. Of you! I don't want to live! I don't want to breathe! unless I feel you next to me you take the pain I feel! Waking up to you never felt so real!" Her hands formed a heart on her chest before a flame formed between her fingers and filled it in,

_'That is awesome! I never knew she could do that!'_ Once again her voice pulled him out of his thought,

"I hate living without you. I'm dead wrong to ever doubt you. But my demons lay in waiting, tempting me away. Oh how I adore you! Oh how I thirst for you! Oh how I.. I need you! Comatose.. I'll never wake up without an overdose.. Of you!" Once again she spun then flipped over the table fire igniting her moves as she sang "I don't want to live! I don't want to breathe! 'less I feel you next to me! You take the pain I feel. Waking up to you never felt so real! I don't wanna sleep I don't wanna dream! 'Cause my dreams don't comfort me. The way you make me feel! Waking up to you never felt so real!" Tora gasped slightly as tears began to fill her eyes, he had to resist the urge to run up and hug her for fear she would stop singing "Breathing life. Waking up. My eyes open up!" Her voice was trembling, as if she was holding back some hidden emotions "Comatose..." Her voice had softened considerably and it made Tora's heart flutter "I'll never wake up without an overdose. Of you! I don't want to live! I don't want to breathe! 'Less I feel you next to me! You take the pain I feel! Waking up to you never felt so real! I don't want to sleep! I don't want to dream! 'Cause my dreams don't comfort me the way you make me feel! Waking up to you never felt so real!" She twirled once again, tears were cascading down her face, her voice trembling with sadness,

_'Is this really how she feels? I know she's been alone for so long... But it didn't seem to bother her before... Who is it that she can't live without? Murasaki? Taka? Hebi?'_ He thought to himself as he listened to her sing,

"Oh how I adore you! Waking up to you never felt so real! Oh how I thirst for you! Waking up to you never felt so real! Oh the way you make me feel! Waking up to you never felt so real!" Once again she twirled and blew a kiss into the air in front of her.

Tatsumaki entered the kitchen area and clapped "Nice job Fushichou. You've got quite an ear for music." He patted her on the shoulder as he motioned for Tora to come into the kitchen,

"Y-you heard me?"

"Yes Fushichou. I heard you and so did Tora." She blushed furiously and raced up the steps, tears leaked from her eyes. Tora looked confused as he watched Fushichou run up the stairs, her hands covering her face,

"You didn't understand the song didn't you?" Tatsumaki said pointedly,

"I-I... What?"

"The song. The second one. You didn't understand what it meant did you?"

"I just thought she was singing about Murasaki." He shrugged his shoulders earning a sigh from the male standing next to him,

"Tora... Do you know Fushichou. I mean actually know what she's been through?"

"I know that her clan was killed, and Murasaki was her only family before she was shot and killed during the Yajirushi high school shootings. And before then she just played on her computer for human interaction, and after Murasaki was killed she began hacking computers." Tatsumaki sighed once again,

"You don't know the deep details do you?"

"Obviously not." Tora sighed and leaned against the stair rail,

"Come here Tora. I'll tell you the little things I know about her. I had to study about the Kakusan clan before my assassination duties."

"Alright." Tora followed Tatsumaki into the living room and sat down on the couch "Okay Tatsumaki. " Tora sighed as he leaned against the arm of the couch.

"Well where to start... When I first saw her she was dressed in a pure white gown, which I learned meant purity in the Kakusan clan.." Tatsumaki tapped his chin in thought "As I studied her I found out later that she was the princess of the Kakusan clan and wasn't supposed to be seen by anyone other than the clan members. So she was often hidden from view. She was so sad. Finally I got to see how she was trained, only to see that if she didn't execute the move with absolute perfection..." He closed his eyes, which caused Tora to scoot closer to him,

"What happened?"

"She was slapped and stabbed with kunai." Tatsumaki sighed "Later I observed that she had an older brother, and I thought to compare the two. Only to be once again surprised at the differences. Not only were they treated differently... Fushichou was forced to dress like a boy, act like a boy, and look like a boy. Yuki... Her father didn't like that she was a girl, so he forced her to be something she wasn't. The way they were trained was different too. He was trained by the best teachers Yuki could find, while she was taught by Yuki himself." Tears began to prick at the back of Tora's eyes,

_'I never thought... No wonder why she never lets anyone close. She was taught not to.'_ Tatsumaki caught on to Tora's glassy eyed look,

"Don't think that, that was all. When I was forced to act... She seemed so devastated... She was covered in blood and when I saw her act for the first time since the massacre had began... I saw her crawl into Yuki's bloody arms..." Tatsumaki wiped a stray tear from his eyes "She was only seven at the time, but old enough to remember. Since then she had..."

"Stayed with Murasaki in the RA's room." Tatsumaki's eyes widened slightly "We've gone to the same school since Kindergarten. She's never talked to anyone but Murasaki. Though she looked at me funny when we entered high school." Tora sighed,

_'Just thinking about how she's changed since then... It's got my heart beating like a drum.'_ He began to think back to the first time Fushichou and him actually talked '_That was during the hacking job wasn't it?'_ He thought to himself,

_"You're creepy."_

_"I get that a lot." She said seemingly unaffected by his words "Okay now come over here I'll need your help for this part." Tora did as asked and took a seat right next to the girl "My name is Fushichou by the way."_

_"Yeah yeah just keep working." He said waving his hand to the computer "Okay... Your file isn't easy to find, but I think I can manage."* _His eyes widened as he remembered how rude and mean he had been to her,

_'How could I be so blind to the thought. The school... Nerd!'_ The word left a bad taste in his mouth,

"Are you okay?" Tatsumaki sounded worried,

"Yeah I'm just fine.. I was just thinking about how everyone treated her... Including me. No one bothered to walk up to her, to talk to her. She was so alone in that apartment... So alone in that room when Murasaki died." Tears began to roll freely down his cheeks as he remembered the small things that seemed insignificant at the time. He ran through the memories, but one stuck out,

_"Do you expect payment?"_

_"I wouldn't mind it... But you don't need to." my eyes widened she was trembling as if expecting something horrible "How much?"_

_"No money please..."_

_"Then how should I pay you?" My hazel eyes met her blue ones once more, pain reflected in her gaze, loneliness swirled around in those blue irises "I think I know of a way." I walked up to her and placed his hand on her cheek, immediately pulling it away when she flinched "You're not used to human interaction." I stated more to myself than her "Would... Would this be enough?" I gathered her against my chest and hugged her close. She trembled against me. I looked down when I felt something wet on my shirt "Are you crying?"_

_"I want Murasaki back. I miss Murasaki. It's so lonely without her." Tears pricked at the back of my eyes as I listened to her sob into my chest 'I'll bet it is. And though I don't know who you are exactly... I know what it's like to feel alone.' I stroked her back gently, until she pulled away from me "I'll accept that as payment." She wiped her eyes and turned away from me._

Tora's eyes widened as he remembered that one little instance, "She hugged me, cried into my chest... She clung to me.." He whispered catching Tatsumaki's attention,

"Hm? If that happened then you should have understood what she was saying when she was singing. I mean I caught on pretty fast."

"I only just developed this feeling Tatsumaki... I don't even understand what it is." Tora looked down at his hands shamefully, "I know Igarashi aren't supposed to not know what a feeling is. I mean my clan are pretty expressive people. Unlike that of the Kakusan who, according to you, were closed off from the rest of Yajirushi, and possibly the world." He crossed his legs and covered his face with his hands "I don't understand... She was so mistreated.. How can she be so strong? How can she succeed in hiding all that pain from everyone?"

"Maybe you never cared to look until now..." Tatsumaki placed his hand on Tora's shoulder, a comforting smile on his face.

**Translations: **

**(1) **My wings... I'm not an angel. I'm a demon

**(2) **You may enter

**(3) **Thank you

**(4) **Hello/ Good afternoon

**(5) **What is your name

**(6) **My name is Shojikina Kitsune

**(7) **Idiot/ stupid/ dummy

**(8) **Yes (Formal)

**(9) **Bird

**(10) **What

**(11) **You're okay kid

**(12)** Goodbye (informal, almost as if saying see you later)


	4. Chapter 4

_**(3)**_ Bring me to life- Songwriter(s):Michele Chieregato, Roberto Turatti, Ben Moody, Thomas Hooker, Amy Lee, David Hodges  
**Copyright:Universal Music Publishing Ricordi Srl., Bmg Rights Management (ireland) Ltd, Zombies Ate My Publishing (admin. By Dwight F, Chrysalis One Music Publishing Group Ireland, Zombies Ate My Publish**

**(4)**My immortal- Songwriter(s):Ben Moody, Amy Lee, David Hodges  
**Copyright:Bmg Rights Management (ireland) Ltd, Zombies Ate My Publishing (admin. By Dwight F, Chrysalis One Music Publishing Group Ireland, Zombies Ate My Publishing, Forthefallen Publishing**

**(5)**Monster- Songwriter(s):John Cooper, Gavin Brown  
**Copyright:Photon Music, Landrum Publishing, Noodles For Everyone, Emi April Music (canada) Ltd., Warner-tamerlane Publishing Corp.**

**Story start! **

It had been two month since Fushichou and Tora had been moved to this secluded house. Fushichou had quit going to school in favor of completing her tasks with Kitsune,

"You're pretty talented for only being a high schooler."

"I've had a lot of practice. Thought the first time was an accident." Kitsune laughed which brought a chuckle from Fushichou's mouth,

"You know you don't have to be so closed off around me. I'm the same as you, you don't have to hide your wings, emotions, or anything." Kitsune smiled as Fushichou glanced away from the computer,

"I prefer to stay closed off."

"Fine. I won't push, but it might be easier for you if you're not."

"Shukudai owatta.**(13)**" Fushichou closed her eyes as she pulled out the newly unlocked flash drive,

"I'll be on my way then Tori." Fushichou sighed and waved as Kitsune closed the door,

"Two hours before Tora and Tatsumaki get home..." She stood up and walked downstairs to the kitchen "Why can't Tora see... Why is he so blind to me... Maybe he just doesn't care." She chuckled slightly "That sounds about right. He doesn't care. But how can he see? These past few months it has seemed that he has looked past my masks, my walls, and down to the very core of who I am... I don't understand. He's never... How?" She sighed as she placed a few vegetables out on the table "I can't worry about that now. I have to work. Tatsumaki didn't seem to care that I made dinner last time. I don't think he'll care this time. Though I'm partial to Ongiri myself, I think some leek soup would be okay... Maybe ramen... Or soba. Soba sounds good." She filled a pot with water and leaned against the counter, listening to the water sizzle,

"_**(3)**_How can you see into my eyes, like open doors. Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb. Without a soul. My spirit sleeping somewhere cold, until you find it there and lead it back home." Her eyes filled with tears,

_"My names Fushichou by the way."_

_"Yeah yeah just keep working."_

Her throat constricted as she held in the sob that threatened to escape "Wake me up inside. Wake me up inside. Call my name and save me from the dark! Bid my blood to run. Before I come undone. Save me from the nothing I've become." She hung her head her breath becoming ragged with the energy it took to just stand

_"You're creepy."_

"Now that I know what I'm without. You can't just leave me. Breathe into me and make me real. Bring me... To life." Her voice was shaking, her arms struggling to hold her up,

_"You've got to be better Katsumi. You've got to be perfect. That is what a Kakusan is. We are perfection."_

"Wake me up inside. Wake me up inside. Call my name and save me from the dark! Bid my blood to run! Before I come undone! Save me from the nothing I've become!"

_"You'll be nothing unless you're perfect Fushichou. Perfection exists within the Kakusan walls. And these walls only."_ By now she had lost the fight to stand, falling to her knees on the cold tile floor, tears filling her vision,

"Father, perfection is a myth. Perfection isn't real. You've killed my soul trying to shape me to be my brother. You've killed me." She sobbed into her hands "Tora! Why must you be so freaking blind!" She felt some boiling water hit her hand and looked up to see the pot was boiling over. Ignoring the burn, she set to work wiping her eyes and straining the noodles "I'm not going to eat. This is for them." She spoke softly to herself.

Tora sniffed the air as soon as he entered the door "Tatsumaki did you start dinner before we left?"

"No Tora. Fushichou must be cooking again." his words brought a smile to Tora's face,

"I hope so. That stew she made was remarkable." Tatsumaki nodded and sniffed the air as well,

"Smells like Japanese Soba."

"I love soba!" Tora yelled excitedly as he raced to the kitchen. Sure enough Fushichou stood in front of the stove, stirring a pot of noodles. She had her eyes closed and a slow soft tune was being whispered between her lips,

"_**(4)**_These wounds won't seem to heal. This pain is just too real. There's just too much that time cannot erase. When you cried I'd wipe all of your tears. When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears. And I held your hand through all of these years, but you still have all of me." Her words were laced with pain and sorrow,

"Fushichou. Don't sing if you don't mean for anyone to hear." Tora said softly causing her to turn around,

"I don't sing to thin air Tora-kun. I intend for someone to hear me... But they never understand." She stepped past him, her thumb wiping away a stray tear that had escaped his eye.

"please tell me you caught that one. It was pretty obvious."

"Yeah It was wasn't it?" Tora watched as she walked up the steps "She seems even more upset now..."

"Doesn't surprise me." Tatsumaki poured some Soba into a bowl and handed it to Tora "Take this to her."

"Food? How is food going to help?"

"Just try it. She might just surprise you." Tatsumaki smiled and handed him a box along with the bowl "I also noticed she needed a new feather comb." Tora smiled slightly and took the bowl and comb,

"I'll see what happens."

Fushichou lay back on her bed, the eyes of the bird above her locked on her own,

"I can't stand it Ryoyoku. I want to forget... But I know that if I do... I'll lose who I am." A knock jolted her back to her senses " Anata ga nyūryoku suru koto ga dekimasu." She sighed softly as the knob was turned and the door creaked open,

"I don't speak Japanese... But I hope that meant I can come in." He stared at the girl laying on the silk blue comforter. After a few moments of silence Fushichou nodded,

"Yes. You may enter."

"Alright." Tora walked up to her and placed the bowl on her nightstand "What's going on? You seem even more upset than normal. " Tora said cautiously as she sat up gently,

"Well my wings are filthy because I can't clean them. I'm running out of that special shampoo I buy because my hair is insanely long. And my kunai are all busted from training. All I have left is my otoutou's swords, and The Kakusan family sithe." She sighed as her wings lay flat against the blue comforter, her eyes downcast. Tora looked at the box in his hands,

"Would you mind if I helped you?"

"How can you help me? It's not like you can make me some more meteor kunai." She spat, earning a chuckle from the boy beside her,

"No I can't make you your special kunai, but I can return your wings to their former blue sheen." He patted the plane of her wing and coughed as a cloud of dust was released. Fushichou looked at him skeptically,

"And how are you going to fix my wings without the aid of a comb? I've already tried finger combing them, It only makes it worse."

"Just trust me. Will you?" Tora once again ran his hands along the plane of her wing "Just trust me." Reluctantly Fushichou nodded, crossing her legs and spreading her wings she allowed Tora to move behind her and position himself on his knees between her wings,

"How are you going to do this?"

"Tatsumaki bought you a new comb. I just thought that I might be able to help you."

"What do you know about feather care?" Tora chuckled lightly "I know it's not as easy as just washing your own fur. That's for sure." Fushichou's eyes widened,

_'Fur? What fur?'_

"You're probably wondering 'what does he mean by fur?'" He chuckled slightly before running his fingers through her hair "Just don't worry about it for now." Tora opened the box and grabbed the comb. Carefully he grabbed a single feather, he looked at the preening comb in his hand. The tip of the comb was shaped like a birds head, the beak open and lined with small teeth to get out the large clumps of dirt, while the rest of the comb was an actual comb. Tora brought the comb to the feather and began to gently run the beak across the soft blue,

"From far off.. Your wings just look like puffs of fur... But from close up I can see now that there are individual rows of single feathers that each need to be tended to."

"You think you got it all figured out don't you?" Fushichou's voice caught him off guard as he moved on to another feather,

"What do you mean?"

"My wings... I can't unlock my powers without the shine that the feathers emit. It's not like I have fire in my veins or something like that. I get my powers from light."

"Powers?" Tora raised a black eyebrow before moving on to another feather "What powers?"

"You've never seen me train... So you'll never understand if I told you."

"I'll have to do that sometime... I know I've seen you dance, and sing, and I got to watch you paint. I just need to see your martial arts again." Fushichou's eyes widened as an image of two wide eyed boys flashed before her eyes,

"I can't show you again... I can't let you see."

"Why?" Tora felt a pain in his chest as she leaned forward and sighed. A slight hum filled the room before he was able to hear the soft words behind her breath,

"**_(5)_**The secret side of me. I'll never let you see. I keep it caged but I can't control it. So stay away from me, the beast is ugly. I feel the rage and I just can't hold it." Fushichou sighed as she closed her eyes "It's scratching on the walls, in the closet, in the halls. It comes awake and I can't control it. Hiding under the bed, in my body, in my head..." She sighed once again before opening her eyes "Why won't somebody come and save me from this. Make it end!" Tora's eyes widened as he listened to the words she was whispering. Fushichou placed a hand on her shoulder, right at the juncture between her neck and the shoulder itself "I feel it deep within, It's just beneath my skin. I must confess... I feel like a monster."

"Why are you singing something like this?" Tora asked softly only for it to go completely ignored,

"I hate what I've become. The darkness just begun. I must confess that I feel like a monster." Finally Tora placed his hand over her mouth,

"Stop. I don't want to hear you ever sing something like that again. I don't ever want to hear something like that come out of your mouth. No matter what happens I don't want to hear the word monster, or freak, or anything to that effect." Fushichou's eyes widened as she looked into determined hazel eyes,

"If I must show you. I will but I won't allow you to put yourself down like that."

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one..." She closed her mouth and turned away from him "You wouldn't understand."

"I wouldn't? I wouldn't know what it's like to be chastised because you're possessed by a vengeful Dobitsu spirit. The Igarashi clan has only one who was possessed and that was me. They had to lock the spirit inside someone... And that someone was me. Murasaki wouldn't want you to sit here and mope about her death, about your own so called "Curse," Or worrying about that bird inside you. From where I've been I've seen many people like you..."

"Tojikomeru! Anata wa watashi no yō ni nani mo shite inaishi, anata wa, watashi ga tōtte ikanakereba nara nakatta no ka o rikai suru koto wa kesshite nai darou. Watashi wa sore o ofu ni yaku mae ni, chōdo ima anata no kuchi o shatto shisa suru yō ni, dare mo shimasen!**(14)**" She was trembling fiercely, her hands clenched the bedspread "Watashi no kazoku wa shindeiru. Watashi no ani... Watashi no haha... Chichi... Watashi no otōto... Watashi no itoko. Daremo Ga naku natte iru... Watashi wa nokotte iru noda.**(15)**" Tora watched as her blue eyes darkened her wings quickly heating up, "Anata ga rikai shite imasu! ! Anata ga rikai suru koto wa kesshite nai darou!**(16)**" Fire lit in her hair, burning blue streaks into the chocolate brown tresses. Tora watched as blue eyes darkened and black lines accented the deep pools of hatred,

"What is happening?"

"Daremo ga chōdo watashi o mushi shite imashita. Dare mo jibun no michi o mite kinishinai. Watashi no kazoku no kazoku ga shinda toki dake no hito ga watashi no kazoku no naka de tsūchi o toru koto o kimeta toki ni... Watashi no naka de.**(17)**"

"I can't understand you."

"I don't care if you can understand what I say. You wouldn't understand at all!" Fushichou stood up and pulled her fist back as if to punch him, but something stopped her. A snap was heard throughout the house as Tatsumaki gripped the back of her elbow,

"Let go Tatsumaki."

"No Fushichou. I heard what you said. Better yet I understood what you said." Fushichou's arm fell slack as her eyes widened,

"You understood? You translated what I had said?"

"Yes. Yes I understand japanese. Yes I know what you said. Yes." Tears filled Fushichou's eyes as she punched the floor her wings surrounding her in a protective embrace. Tora watched wide eyed as she curled in on herself,

"My family is gone. I have no one. No one left." A hand was placed on his shoulder pulling his attention to Tatsumaki,

"The pain is deep for her. I can't help her forget, because I'm a walking reminder... You can though."

"How can I? She doesn't want me around." Tora hung his head as Tatsumaki smiled,

"She might just surprise you in this condition. I knew i had done this to her when I had done what I had done to her... " Tatsumaki hung his head slightly "She's not so predictable." He walked out the door leaving Tora to look at a trembling Fushichou. Her wings were curled around her as she trembled and shook. He watched as she just kept hugging her knees tighter and tighter,

_"Then how should I pay you?" My hazel eyes met her blue ones once more, pain reflected in her gaze, loneliness swirled around in those blue irises "I think I know of a way." I walked up to her and placed my hand on her cheek, immediately pulling it away when she flinched "You're not used to human interaction." I stated more to myself than her "Would... Would this be enough?" I gathered her against my chest and hugged her close. She trembled against me. I looked down when I felt something wet on my shirt "Are you crying?" _

He walked up to her and placed a hand on the plane of her wing, as usual it tensed and she flinched,

'_I understand why you flinch away from my touch now. What you have been though... No one should have lived through that.'_ Without thinking he parted her wings, looking at the tear filled eyes he met. She opened her mouth to speak, only to have a finger placed against her lips,

"Shhh." He whispered. She watched as he pulled at the collar of his shirt showing half of a black tattoo "The one of the Igarashi clan... The one that got stuck with the burden of having the animal in them... Fushichou... It's me." He traced the Kanji on his shoulder. Fushichou watched as stripes formed in his hair, and a tiger striped tail began to swish back and forth behind him, two cat-like ears began to form on his head. Almost instantly her wings folded back behind her and she scrambled away from him.

Tora looked confused for a moment, "Y-you're a cat."

"Well I'm a tiger... But they are part of the feline family." Fushichou began trembling again and it clicked in Tora's mind,

_'Cats eat birds... She's afraid I'm gonna kill her.'_ He smiled and inched closer to her "I'm not going to hurt you." As he crawled closer to her he was suddenly taken aback when she suddenly lurched forward and hugged him close.

"Murasaki was a cat. She was a white persian cat. She had the prettiest tail of all the Akitori kittens." Her arms tightened around him as she whispered sweet things about her cousin.

**Translations: **

**(13) **I'm done

**(14) **Shut up! You're nothing like me and You'll never understand what I had to go through. No one ever does so I suggest you just shut your mouth now before I burn it off!

**(15) **My family is dead. My big brother... My mother... My father... My little brother... My cousin. Everyone is gone... I'm all that is left.

**(16) **You won't understand! You'll never understand!

**(17) **everyone just ignored me. No one cared to look my way. Only when my family family died was when people decided to take notice in my family... In me.


	5. Chapter 5

Her touch lingered on his skin as he sat across from Tatsumaki,

"Did you smooth things over with her?"

"Yeah, she's okay now." Tatsumaki eyed the new ears and tail that still adorned Tora's figure,

"I can tell. So you were just like her? A dobitsu?"

"It's a heavy burden but one nonetheless. She's not able to hide her wings like I can, she's got to live with people shunning her because shes... Well... Stunted."

"You spend ten minutes with her, and you think you can tell if she's stunted or not?" Gray eyes met Hazel and Tora's tone turned serious,

"I want to take her out tonight. She's not used to human interaction, and keeping her locked up in her room all the time isn't helping her overcome her fear."

"I can't allow that Tora."

"WHY NOT!? YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION WITH HER!" Tora's eyes darkened with rage "Besides all I wanted to do was take her to a movie, dinner, and take her dancing. It's not like I'm gonna stab her, and cut off her feathers."

"Indeed it's not. And you're right when you say I have an obligation with young Fushichou-chan. You'd also be correct in saying that her staying locked in this house all the time isn't good for her. You'd also be correct in saying that her strict diet of Ongiri and Soba isn't good either, but I can't allow you to walk around Yajirushi all alone."

"Then you come with us. You can chaperone us and make sure nothing bad happens." Tatsumaki smiled slightly as determination filled Tora's eyes "I don't care what punishment that will befall me, but don't chip away at Fushichou. Don't mentally kill her." He pleaded and Tatsumaki sighed,

"Fine I'll allow you to take her tonight, But I shall follow you in the car."

"Aringato! Oh my gosh Thank you!" Tora smiled brightly and raced up to Fushichou's room. The door slammed open and an excited Tora jumped into the room "Fushi-chan! We can go out tonight. Come on!"

"I have to wait for my next assignment. I can't leave my room, Kitsune-san might come."

"Either you come with me willingly or I'll pull you out of this room Fushichou." Tora's eyes darkened and his tail swished back and forth behind him,

"But... I... Can't.."

"Why can't you?" Fushichou hung her head her wings drooping behind her,

"Oh... Your wings?" She nodded silently,

"I can't hide them. My ears are really sensitive... You're right, I am stunted."

"You aren't going to hide in here the rest of your life. We may be Dobitsu... Which is the name of your band." Fushichou shivered once more and laughed,

"It is. Isn't it? But I still can't go, Kitsune is supposed to be back and she's bringing another job for me."

"Okay fine. I'll get Tatsumaki to postpone it." Tora sighed and walked out of the room, his head hung low and a sigh escaped his mouth.

A girl was thrown into the chair, the light shining down on her.

"What were you doing spying on us?"

"I'm investigating the murder of Akitori Murasaki."

"So you were spying on the purple dragons?" The girl looked at them as if she had made a huge discovery,

"You're the purple dragons? The assassin group that attacked Yajirushi high?"

"You know more than you should." A growl was heard from the dark silhouette as she was jerked out of the chair "Little reporters should keep their mouths shut. Risu."

Fushichou smiled as she stirred the soba, Tora sitting at the table waiting patiently. His ears perked when he heard a slight humming,

"You gonna sing for me Fushi-chan?" She froze slightly,

"Hm? Oh... No no no. I don't sing often anymore."

"Awe. I'd love to hear you sing."

"I don't want to." Tora crossed his arms and stuck his bottom lip out in a cute pout,

"Fushi-chan won't sing for me." He said softly causing Fushichou to chuckle,

"I don't want to sing because I have nothing to sing about."

"Please?"

"No." A door opened and closed almost silently, but Fushichou heard it. She tensed and hurriedly dished up the Soba. Tatsumaki walked into the room another girl by his side,

"Fushichou, Tora..." He greeted them as Fushichou set a bowl down in front of Tora,

"Hm?"

"You have a new housemate." Tora choked on a noodle and Fushichou dropped the spatula,

"Who?" Both said in unison before looking a each other with surprised looks. Tatsumaki laughed before looking back into the living room,

"Duilleog Risu. Please come join us." A girl in her early twenties walked up her bright red hair curling around her face as she bows politely,

"So nice to meet you. I hope I'm not intruding." Tatsumaki smiled as Fushichou stared blankly,

"No no. Risu-chan you're not intruding on anything."

"Tatsumaki-sensi... I didn't know that we were having a guest over.." Fushichou whispered softly earning a confused look from their silver eyed handler,

"What's wrong?"

"I'm not for sure I cooked enough Soba noodles..." Fushichou twisted her chopsticks on the tip of her index finger,

"I'll make some." Fushichou's eyes widened as she dropped the chopsticks,

"Oh... Um... I was just going to give you my bowl and make some Ongiri." She spun around quickly and began to boil some rice. Tora watched as Fushichou handed the red haired girl a bowl of Soba noodles, before running back to the stove and beginning to shape the Ongiri she was going to call 'dinner.' Fushichou sat down across from Risu and smiled as sweetly as she could "Konichiwa." She said softly, her blue eyes calculating and serious. Tora shifted as the tension increased around them.

"What are you here for Risu?" Tora asked trying to clear some tension. Fushichou's wings flared around her as she stood from the table and placed her plate in the sink,

"Tora-kun. It's your turn to do the dishes... Watashi wa jibun no heya ni naru deshou. Itsumo to onaji.**(18)**"

"Works for me. Fushichou-chan, Kitsune should be here any minute with your next assignment."

"Alright. She knows where to find me." Fushichou took one last look at Risu and sighed before walking up the steps, slamming the door to her room.

Tatsumaki shrugged his shoulders before motioning for Tora to take Risu upstairs and show her around. Tora smiled and nodded before standing and taking the remaining dishes to the sink. He turned to Risu and bowed respectively before smiling again,

"Would you like to choose your room?" Risu turned to him and bowed,

"Yes! Of course! Thank you so much! But may I ask you one thing?"

"Sure. What's wrong?"

"Did I say something to offend Fushichou? I am incredibly sorry if I did and if so I want to know so I can apologize profusely. I hate making bad first impressions." she blushed a bright red across her face and body. Tora chuckled slightly and smiled again,

"No no no Risu-chan. You didn't offend her..." He rubbed the back of his neck "She's just got this... Well.. Problem... She's a little... Well... Closed off as you would say... It took her months to just get used to me... I can't explain why she is this way, but I do know she's not really liked around Yajirushi..." A sad look crossed Tora's face before it was masked by another smile.

"I am so sorry for her. May I ask why she's not liked? I'm sorry I shouldn't be asking this. This is her business not my own. I'll just chose a room." she looked down at her feet ashamed of her curiosity. Tora placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her,

"It's not just her... Me too... It's a burden that we have to carry... Though I can hide mine. She's... Well... Stunted and can't hide her wings... As you saw at dinner... We're Dobitsu spirits... Me the Tiger, and her the Phoenix... It's a curse on her family, a burden for mine. And with her cousin... A dobitsu spirit... Being killed... She's just... Broken." He masked another sad face before taking Risu's hand and pulling her up to the second floor. The halls were lined with doors they hadn't noticed the first day they had arrived.

"Go ahead and make your choice. Fushi and I have our rooms already." Risu looked at him as the words he told her of Fushichou finally sink in,

"S-she can't hide it? Oh my...oh no I feel so terrible." she turned around as her tail and ears showed themselves and wrapped around herself so she can could hug it to herself, "The poor thing." she whispered to herself.

"Don't cry for me." Fushichou's voice was muffled by the mahogany door "I don't need pity, just because I'm stunted."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend...I-I'll just find my room..." she looked in the doors down the hall and quickly chose a room and quickly closed the door behind her as she entered it. Minutes later Tora knocked on her door,

"Risu-chan...?" Risu opened the door enough to show her red rimmed emerald eyes,

"Yes?"

"Don't be upset over what Fushichou had said... I can do as much explaining as I need to, but Tatsumaki-sensei can explain even more." Tora sighed slightly before hiding his ears and tail.

"She hates me!" she blurted out. "I don't mean to feel sorry for her either but I imagine what my life would have been like if I couldn't hide my tail, but that's not what upsets me. I realize that you don't care how I feel, I mean, I just invaded your space, but I hate when people hate me. It's like an enormous kick in the throat. I'm so sorry Tora-kun." she lowered her head. Tora lifted her chin so she would look him in the eyes,

"She doesn't hate you. She's just hard to live with. Follow me. Tatsumaki and I will explain everything." He beckoned for her to follow him down the stairs, "Don't worry. Tatsumaki-sama told Kitsune-san to take her out to the training grounds in the back." Risu nodded her head and wiped the tears from her face as she followed Tora down the stairs. The two of them entered the living room to find Tatsumaki sitting on the couch, his arms were crossed across his chest and his legs were folded in the traditional Japanese style,

"Risu-chan. I'm sorry for the way my charge Kakusan Fushichou... Had treated you. She never does anything like that before... Maybe she didn't understand you were a Dobitsu too." Risu nodded,

"I can understand how she would have some resentment toward me for not being a Dobitsu."

"But Risu-chan... Her attitude towards Dobitsu isn't... Well... It's too natural for her. You see her clan... The Kakusan clan. Was a clan of Dobitsu... Vengeful Dobitsu that scourned the idea of rebirth... If you catch what I'm saying." Risu nodded her head, "She's not really used to... Human interaction. But that's not because of all the vengeful Dobitsu in her clan... She was... Well... Mistreated in her family. She was one of a family of five. The clan leader, her father, had needed his second born to be a boy... She was second born. Because of this her father hated her, he could care less for her." Tatsumaki frowned as he remembered some crucial details he had observed as he watched her clan. Risu shook her head as she muttered to herself,

"The poor poor thing." she quickly looked up "Please don't tell her I said that. She doesn't seem to like pity, but I just can't help it."

"Thats her Kakusan pride. It's in her blood. The Kakusan expected perfection... Nothing less than the best is what Yuki used to say to her. Each time she failed..." Tatsumaki cringed slightly, "She'd be cut and beaten by him, her own father. While her brother got the best teachers for his martial arts training... She got Yuki for her training. Forced to go by the name Katsumi instead of her own name... She just wasn't taught to accept pity... Yuki used to tell her that pity was a sign of imperfection, weakness... She grew up like that." Risu looked at Tatsumaki rage in her eyes,

"How could a father be so cruel to his own daughter?" Tatsumaki smiled slightly as he uncrossed his arms and leaned forward.

"Yuki was just that way. It wasn't... Well.. It wasn't a thing he could stand... He needed someone to carry on the Kakusan bloodline... If Tatsu died... She couldn't do that."

"Even though she couldn't be perfect in Yuki's eyes though... After they were killed, she had already been taught to be the way she is now." Tora sighed as he looked towards the training grounds "She hid behind a computer screen, beating the best players in various games." He chuckled a little bit "She even hacked my phone to wake me up in class. Though it got me in more trouble than I was originally supposed to be in." He smiled at Risu before turning back to the window. Tatsumaki sighed,

"She should be back soon, Kitsune can only hold her off for so long before she decides she needs her actual assignment."

"That's true." Tora sighed softly. He watched as she jumped from bamboo pole to bamboo pole, she never stumbled once, she didn't even act like she was trying, almost immediately he stood,

"She's coming!" The door slammed open as a pair of blue wings pressed against them,

"I can't do it!"

"Fushichou. Yes you can." Kitsune prompted softly,

"It's the one thing that Yuki said I wasn't good enough to do."

"Look at yourself. Did you even try when you were up on those poles? You had your eyes closed during target practice, and yet you still! STILL! Hit the targets right on the mark." Fushichou just turned away from her,

"Yuki-chichi-san said I wasn't ready. He said I'd never be ready to do that!" Fushichou instantly ran up the stair and slammed her door shut,

"Good choice Tatsumaki... I really got to see what she could do. That was my goal today."

"No problem Kitsune-san." Tatsumaki smiled and motioned to Risu "This is Duilleog Risu. She's a new charge I have to watch." Kitsune raised an eyebrow,

"What? You kill her clan too? You know that's the only reason he put you with the young Kakusan." Tatsumaki's eyes widened as he looked over at Risu then back to Kitsune,

"I wasn't planning on telling her that." Risu smiled half-heartedly.

"Whether you planned to tell me or not I would've found out. That's basically why I'm here right?" She bowed to Kitsune "A pleasure to meet you." Kitsune smiled and bowed,

"I'll be giving you your spy jobs. Though you weren't supposed to find out till later, right now I'm here for Fushichou. She's our best and only hacker at the moment."

"Of course, I understand. I mean I've just shown up didn't expect to have work right away, though it would be nice." she giggled to herself. Kitsune smiled brightly and waved,

"I've got to go. Abayo." She closed the door leaving Tora, Risu, and Tatsumaki alone,

"I think I need to go check on Fushi-chan... She seemed a little irritated." Tora stood up and unlocked his ears and tail "I'll be back... I hope." He sighed and stepped up the stairs before disappearing.

Fushichou slammed her fist in the wall, tears streaking her cheeks.

"Why that move. Why that one? She didn't know I'm stunted... But really? Why?" A knock sounded and she growled "Kitsune! I said no!"

"It's Tora..." He opened the door slightly to reveal the familiar hazel eyes, "I wanted to make sure you were... Are you crying?"

"Hm?" She hastily wiped her cheeks and eyes, "No. I wasn't... It was just sweat from before."

"You're lying Fushi-chan. Your voice is trembling." Tora smiled as he stepped into the room, "If you need to talk about something... You know I'm here.. You know Tatsumaki is here. And now you know Risu is.."

"I don't want to talk to her! She's a regular! When she finds out you're a Dobitsu too she'll think she's better than all of us, it's what they all do! Especially to me... Because... I'm... The last one... O-of..." her words died down as she dropped to her knees and began sobbing into her hands. Tora smiled slightly as he watched her for a few moments, then patted her on the back and left the room. When he came back down he shook his head,

"She'll be okay... Just needs to calm down... Right now she's emotionally unstable." He smiled and went into the kitchen,

"I'll do the cooking tonight." Risu followed him into the kitchen,

"You don't mind if I help do you? I love to cook...And it will help me get my mind off of her being so upset and my inability to help out."

"No I don't mind if you help... I'm not a wizard when it comes to the culinary arts." Tora smiled and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, a blush spreading across his cheeks "I'd burn rice if I ever tried to cook it... As for Fushichou.. She'll be fine in about ten minutes. She's... Not really one for showing weakness for long... Her pride won't let her." Risu nodded her head her tail and ears showing themselves,

"I hate hiding them and since we are all here I might as well right?" she giggles. "So what were you planning on preparing? Or were you?"

"Fushichou only eats Ongiri... Which is..." He cringed as he remembered what he said earlier "Rice balls.. Tatsumaki enjoys a nice bowl of Soup... And I was thinking Ramen for myself." Risu nodded,

"That can all be accomplished." She smiles quickly finding her way around the kitchen and starting preparations, "I agree though Ramen sounds great."

"Question is... Will Fushichou eat what I cook?" He blushed again as he remembered what she had said the first day he met her,

_'If I don't do it myself. I won't accept it.'_ Risu shrugged,

"Only one way to find out."

"You're right. Only one way..." He gulped "Cook the rice."

"I'll help out and give you directions. If that would make you feel more comfortable in the kitchen." Tora sighed and smiled,

"I'd like that. Being a boy in my clan... We weren't supposed to learn how to cook.. Only the girls. I though was an exception because I wasn't supposed to get married and risk the spirit being released or duplicated. Though I just never could grasp the concept of taste and texture... I don't know how Fushi-chan can do it. She just makes the best food I've ever tasted." He sighed once more and pulled out a few pots and pans.

"I'm sure with enough practice and guidance you'll figure it out." she patted Tora's shoulder. Tora grabbed the bag of rice and began pouring it into the rice cooker before pouring a bag of noodles into a pot of water,

"I don't even understand who taught her... Murasaki couldn't cook worth a darn either, and as far as I knew... She lived alone before moving into the RA department with her cousin." Risu shrugged,

"Some people are talented that way. She definitely seems quite talented in everything she does... She's very lucky honestly." Tora snorted slightly, trying to stifle a laugh before turning back to the rice.

"She's an artist, a musician, a keytarist, a singer... She does martial arts... She's just about everything..." He sighed softly "She's just about everything a boy in my clan is looking for..." Risu looked at him and patted him on the back.

"I'm sorry..."

"For what? It's not your fault... The Kakusan... They're just the Igarashi's other half... I figured it out when I first heard about her... The males are trained to be ruthless and merciless... The females... I can't even explain what they're supposed to be trained as..."

"No need to explain... It's not necessarily any of my business to know. But I'm sorry because you seem to be so fond of her... And... Well she just doesn't seem like the person so see or accept that is all... Sorry... I shouldn't say such things. I don't know either of you well enough to know for sure..." She looked away from Tora as she gathered ingredients. Tora laughed softly,

"It's not that she doesn't accept it... It's that she's not used to it. Human interaction isn't really something she got when she was little. Other than Murasaki... She had no one else. No one bothered to look her way till Murasaki was killed... And because of her showing her wings during that night... She still wasn't treated much better." He sighed as he remembered how scared he felt when he saw her talons and wings, "Not even I looked her way till I understood how alone she truly was." Tora scooped out some rice from the cooker and began to mold the Ongiri, Before he turned to stir the noodles in the boiling water.

"You don't seem as lost as you said. What would you like for me to do?"

"Well... I don't know what you like to eat so I don't know what to cook you. I've watched Fushi-chan make Ongiri all the time.. It's the only thing she eats. And I eat Ramen pretty often too... Though it's normally instant Ramen." He blushed slightly and placed the Ongiri down on a plate before grabbing another scoop of rice.

"I'd be fine with some Ramen. I'm not a particularly picky eater."

"Cool." Tora placed the ongiri next to the other and grabbed the last scoop before shaping it quickly and placing the full plate on the table. "Fushichou isn't as bad as she seems... It took her seeing me in my Dobitsu form... To actually accept me." Risu nodded in understanding. Tora stirred the noodles once more before adding the vegetables and broth,

"I think the Ramen is done now... Now how does Fushi-chan make Tatsumaki's stew...?" He whispered to himself before walking to the cabinet and taking out a can of beef stew and placing it on the table. He sighed as his ears picked up on a steady swishing noise above them, "She's left her room... She's in the hallway."

"I hope you didn't burn my ongiri." Her voice was still shaking slightly, the dried tears clearly visible before she turned away from them and grabbed the plate off the table, "Aringato... Tora-kun... Risu-chan..."

"Aringato Fushi-chan." Risu responded trying to sound cheerful. Fushichou chuckled softly before turning back to her,

"Nice try... Though that is the wrong response... Doi tashi maste**(19)** is the proper response." Risu lowered her head and stated sadly and quietly,

"I'm sorry. I-I was just trying to be courteous."

"Don't try to be something you're not. If you can't understand me then I'll speak English. It's just easier because it's my native language." She smiled softly before taking a bite of the Ongiri in her hands. Risu rushed up the stairs her tail held tight in her arms as she held in the tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks. Fushichou's smile faded as she sighed and set the plate down again,

"Thanks Tora... For everything." Her words caused a confused look to cross his face,

"What did I do?"

"For just being there for me... Throughout everything that has happened... All this crazy stuff that had happened. Our emotions had been tested, as well as our bodies, and our intelligence... But no matter how weak and unstable I prove to be.." She looked up at him her blue eyes flowing with different emotions all swirling together, "You didn't give up... And you... Didn't run and hide." Tora's eyes widened,

_'How much more has she been through? How much more has she suffered? Who ran away? Who stayed?'_ So many questions filtered into his head, brought to life by the last soft words she had spoken, watching as she turned away from him once again and walked back upstairs.

**Translations:**

**(18) **I'll be in my room. Same as always.

**(19)** You're welcome


End file.
